NBA star Victor Wembanyama has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.
The San Antonio Spurs player was diagnosed with the condition this week after he returned from the NBA all-star game. He is expected to make a full recovery, but the athlete will be undergoing treatment before it’s decided whether he is well enough to play for France in the European Championship this summer.
Acting San Antonio Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said that the player said his “arm didn't feel completely normal. That was articulated to our medical staff. They looked into it, and that's how we got here.”
He added that the medical staff “confirmed that he'll be done this year and that there is no concern for Victor's long-term health personally, or anything related to his basketball activities”.
What is deep vein thrombosis?
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot in a vein, which can become dangerous if not treated.
According to the NHS, symptoms of the condition include throbbing pain or swelling in one leg, arm or your tummy. Most typically, the condition will occur in one leg and pain will be apparent while standing up.
Other symptoms include warm skin or change in the colour of the skin around the painful area, as well as swollen veins that are hard or sore when you touch them.
The main treatments for DVT include blood-thinning medicines, such as such as warfarin or rivaroxaban, which are typically prescribed for three months. A patient will also need to undergo surgery to remove the blood clots or to stop them from forming.
While DVT can happen for no obvious reason, a person is more likely to have the condition if they are overweight, over 60, are a smoker, take the contraceptive pill or HRT, have cancer or heart failure or have varicose veins.
DVT can be serious because blood clots can travel to the lungs, which causes pulmonary embolism. This can be life-threatening and needs urgent treatment.
